July 24, 2017
Strong whanau stock shapes Taika
Coming from strong whanau stock has helped shape actor film maker, Taika Waititi and his mahi says his tuahine Tweedie Waititi.
Taika Waititi took out the supreme Matariki Award Te Tohu Tiketike over the weekend.
He's currently in LA, so sister Tweedie Waititi who is the New Zealand producer of the Maori Moana animation accepted the award on his behalf.
She says whakapapa definitely plays an influencing and visible role in who Taika is and where his stories come from.
Tweedy and Taika were raised together as siblings by their kaumatua and kuia in the rural settlement of Raukokore on the East Coast.
She says Taika didn't have to go far from home to get storyline inspiration.
His short film success, One Night Two Cars is taken from real life in a pub car park with a packet of chips.
Tweedie Waititi and other Matariki award winners, Sir Mason Durie for the Toi o Nga Rangi Lifetime Achievement and the Tupu a Rangi for Health and Science went to Dr Elana Curtis.
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